WIG AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Abstract

In a wig 1, comprising wig bases 1a and 1b, and hair 12 attached to the wig base, the wig base is constituted with a front portion made of an artificial skin 10 of which a front edge is provided to a wig wearer's forehead, and a rear portion connected to the front portion, composed with a cap member having a shape similar to a wig wearer's head shape, the front portion has an artificial skin material 11 and an adhesive layer 30, wherein the adhesive layer 30 has a function to fix a stitch portion of hair by unpeelably adhering to a reverse side of the artificial skin material, and a function of a repeated bonding and peelable pressure-bonding to a scalp.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a wig to cover at least a part of a head from a hairline to a back of the head and a method of manufacturing the same, and especially to the wig wherein the camouflage effect is improved on the front edge of the wig corresponding to the hairline of the wig wearer's forehead portion, and a method of manufacturing the same.

BACKGROUND ART

A wig to wear when head hair becomes thin is heretofore provided with a wig base made of an artificial skin which is made of synthetic resin, a mesh-like net, or combination of the artificial skin and the net, and is manufactured by forming the wig base to a wearer's head shape as far as possible, and attaching human or artificial hair thereon.

Incidentally, hair losing is generally known to proceed by retreating of the hairline of the forehead. Therefore, in case to wear a wig, the front edge of the wig must be exactly fitted to the position corresponding to the wearer's ordinary or general hairline. As one of the problems in the case of wearing a conventional wig, the border between the front edge of the worn wig and the wearer's skin of a forehead is easily visible in some cases by bystanders, making it apparent to the people around that a wig is being worn.

Therefore, recently, several methods have been developed by which the border between the skin at the hairline of the forehead and a wig is made less visible thereby concealing the existence of the wig. First, Patent Document 1 discloses a method to prevent exposure by attaching hair to a reverse side of the front edge of the wig base, and pulling it upward via the outer side of the front edge to hide the front edge.

Patent Document 2 discloses a method to prevent exposure of the peripheral portion of the wig base by fixing a hair-attaching net made of a doubly bent belt-shaped net along the periphery of the wig base, attaching hair to the hair-attaching net, and mixing it with the wearer's own hair.

On the other hand, Patent Document 3 discloses the method of direct bonding of the wig having hair attached to the ultra-thin artificial skin with an adhesive at the corresponding hairline position of the wearer's forehead, thereby to make the border between the head and the wig appear natural so as to make the hairline less visible.

Also, Patent Document 4 discloses a method to use ultra-thin artificial skin on the hairline to make the border between the head and the wig appear natural so as to make the hairline less visible.

Patent Document 5 discloses a method to make the hairline appear natural by attaching a wire-like frame line formed in a wave shape to the forehead portion of the wig, and attaching soft hair, similar to that of a baby's hair to said frame line.

• • [Patent Document 1] JP H8-199412 A, Laid-open (1996)
  • [Patent Document 2] Japan Utility Model Gazette H04-31222 (1992)
  • [Patent Document 3] JP 2001-89921 A, Laid-open (2001)
  • [Patent Document 4] JP H11-107023 A, Laid-open (1999)
  • [Patent Document 5] JP S61-231204 A, Laid-open (1986)

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved

First of all, the wig of Patent Document 1 has the covering hair attached on both surface and reverse sides of the wig base on the front edge, so the periphery becomes thick, and the wig base becomes wavy. As the result, the pattern of the pre-determined head shape is deformed, thereby a natural feeling can not be brought about.

In the wig of Patent Document 2, an everted portion may in some cases be caused in the hair-attaching net part with hair attached thereon. Also, the fixed portion between the attaching net and the wig base becomes thickened, and the periphery of the wig base can not provide a natural feeling.

In any case, by the methods of Patent Documents 1 and 2, since the thickness of the wig base itself is not changed, considerable thickness is caused in the wig base, especially, at the hairline of the forehead when the wig is worn. Therefore, a bump is caused between the wig base and the skin of the forehead, and hence the edge of the wig base tends to be visible.

As for Patent Document 3, since ultra-thin artificial skin is too soft to form a curved head pattern when a curved wig covering the whole head is manufactured with ultra-thin artificial skin, the wig can not be manufactured which fits the wearer's head shape. By the method described in Patent Document 3 to make a bonding layer over the whole reverse side of the wig base and to bond directly to the head, there may be cases where bonding is not successful due to the mismatching of the bonding positions, or wrinkles being caused, and in such cases bonding can not be attempted again. Further, in such cases, the bonding layer of the wig base of Patent Document 3 comprises a first bonding layer to fix a root portion of the attached hair to the wig base and a second bonding layer to bond the wig to the head over said first bonding layer. In this case, a defect exists in that the wig base becomes thick because the bonding layer is composed of two layers.

The method of Patent Document 4 to prevent exposure of the hairline provides ultra-thin artificial skin only to a hair-dividing part, and no device is provided that would enable the head and the wig to become indistinguishable at the hairline in the horizontal direction of the forehead.

As for the wig of Patent Document 5, if the wave shape of the frame line at the hairline has a big protrusion or sharp angle at the tip portion, the height of the frame line floating from the head becomes higher than the original design, and hair is wound and tied to the frame line when the hair is attached to the frame line, so that the frame line is more easily visible, and the hairline of the wig becomes possibly unnatural. Also, though attaching soft hair similar to that of a baby's hair is indispensable to prevent exposure of the frame line, the hair must be separately prepared for attaching to said frame line, and thus the process of preparing the hairs is time-consuming and labor-intensive to be excessively troublesome.

The present invention was created taking into consideration the above-mentioned aspects, and has a first object to offer a wig which fits to the wearer's head, and makes the wearer's hairline and the wig indistinguishable by providing artificial skin at the hairline of the forehead portion of the wig base. A second object of the present invention is to offer a method of manufacturing the wig mentioned above.

Means to Solve Problems

In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, the present invention is characterized in that a wig comprising a wig base and hair attached to the wig base has said wig base composed of a front portion made of artificial skin the front edge of which is positioned on the wig wearer's forehead and a rear portion connected to said front portion and composed with the cap member having a shape similar to the wig wearer's head shape, said front portion is provided with said artificial skin and a bonding layer having a function to be bonded undetachably to fix a stitch portion of hair to the reverse side of said artificial skin, and to be repeatedly pressure-bonded repeelably to the scalp.

The wig of the present invention realizes said repeated bonding and the repeelability (to be referred to as the repeelable function) of the bonding layer after completion of gelation reaction of the bonding layer. Said bonding layer is preferably composed of urethane gel. The urethane gel preferably consists of an urethane resin pressure-sensitive adhesive of a two liquid mixture type comprising a main and a solidifying agent. The main agent may be a polyol with an urethane resin as the major component, and the solidifying agent has polyisocyanate as the major component. Deglossing agent is preferably mixed into the artificial skin, and its surface is further deglossed by forming a fine concave and convex portion. Said deglossing agent is composed of inorganic particles, and the fine concave and convex portion can be formed by copying with fine meshes. Also preferably, the front edge of the artificial skin is formed into a wave shape, and its thickness is, for example, 0.08 to 0.12 mm.

In order to further achieve the above-mentioned second object, the method of manufacturing a wig in accordance with the present invention is characterized to include a first step for preparing an artificial skin to be the front portion by coating and drying a thermoplastic elastomer on the male pattern of the head shape, as well as a net pattern to be the rear portion connected with the artificial skin by making the pattern of a net member similar to the wearer's head shape; a second step for forming a connecting portion by overlapping net patterns on upper and lower sides of the artificial skin, and sewing or bonding the portion to be the rear edge of the artificial skin and the portion to be the front edge of the net pattern to be connected therewith; a third step for attaching hair to the artificial skin to be the front portion, the net pattern to be the rear portion and the connecting portion; a fourth step for forming an adhesive layer on the reverse side of the artificial skin to be the front portion with the hair attached thereto; and a fifth step for cutting the net member at the front portion and the artificial skin at the rear portion, respectively.

For said third hair attaching step, fourth adhesive layer forming step, and fifth cut and remove step of unnecessary parts, the order of respective working steps may be arbitrarily changed. For example, after unnecessary parts are cut and removed, a hair material may be attached or the adhesive layer may be formed, or after the adhesive layer is formed, unnecessary parts may be cut and removed or a hair material may be attached.

In the present invention, the step to form the bonding layer on the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin is preferably by mixing and stirring the solution containing a main and a solidifying agents and an organic solvent, making the reaction proceed by leaving for the pre-determined time at room temperature, coating the solution on the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin, bonding on the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin by heating at the pre-determined temperature higher than room temperature, and cooling to room temperature after heating for the pre-determined time. Said bonding layer has both the hair fixing function to fix the stitch portion of the hair attached by inserting to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin, and the repeelable function from the head.

Here, the adhesive for a wig in accordance with the present invention is provided with an adhesive layer bonded unpeelably to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin. One side of the adhesive layer is bonded to the reverse side of said artificial skin by chemical gelation reaction of the adhesive solution coated on the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin, and has a hair-fixing function to fix a stitch portion of the hair penetrated and attached to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin, and the other side is pressure-bonded to the head, and has a repeelable function from the head. Here, the repeelable function from a head is realized after completion of the gelation reaction of the adhesive layer.

Effect of the Invention

According to a wig and a method of manufacturing the same in accordance with the present invention, a wig base is constituted by combining and connecting the artificial skin the front edge of which is located at the position in the front portion of the wig base corresponding to the hairline of the wearer's forehead and the cap member formed to a net type similar to the wearer's head in the rear portion positioned behind said front portion. Therefore, the wig can be provided, wherein the wig base fits well the wearer's head, and the ultra-thin artificial skin of high camouflaging effect at the hairline of the forehead can be repeatedly bonded and repeeled.

The surface side of the ultra-thin artificial skin provided at the hairline of the wig wearer's forehead is deglossed, and further the front edge of the ultra-thin artificial skin is wave-shaped, thereby the exposure of the wig can be further prevented. Also, after hair is attached to the wig base, an adhesive is coated on to the whole reverse side or at least a part of the end region including the front edge of said artificial skin for bonding the ultra-thin artificial skin to the head, thereby the wig can be provided which can further enhance the camouflaging effect at the hairline of the forehead.

One side of said adhesive layer is given a hair-fixing function to fix a stitch portion of the hair attached by penetrating to the reverse side of the artificial skin, and the other side of the adhesive layer to be attached to the scalp is given a repeelable function from the scalp. Since the adhesive is constituted of a single layer providing a hair-fixing function and a repeelable function from the scalp, the wig is made thin and light.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a wig in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the reverse side of the wig in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view diagrammatically illustrating the makeup of the artificial skin of the front portion in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view diagrammatically illustrating another makeup of the artificial skin of the front portion in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatical view of shaping treatment of the front edge of the ultra-thin artificial skin.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatical view to compare the wave shape illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatical view to compare the wave shape illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatical view to compare the wave shape illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatical view to compare the wave shape illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatical view to compare the wave shape illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatical view to compare the wave shape illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatical view to show the state with a different wave shape at the predetermined position of the wig periphery for the shape of notches provided to the front edge of the wig front portion.

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatical view with notches provided to the front portion, and the front edge of the rear portion such as the side and the back head portions.

FIG. 15 is a side view to show the state to cover a net on the plaster pattern of a head shape and to fix using a fixing needle.

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatical view to show the state to overlap a net on the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin on the plaster pattern and to fix using a fixing needle.

FIG. 17 is a view to explain the integrating process of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin and a net.

FIG. 18 is a view to explain the integrating process of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin and a net.

FIG. 19 is a view to explain the integrating process of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin and a net.

FIG. 20 is a view to explain the integrating process of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin and a net.

FIG. 21 is a diagrammatical view to show the net corresponding to the portion where the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin is provided in the wig front portion being cut and removed.

FIG. 22 is a side view of FIG. 21, and a diagrammatical view to show the net corresponding to the portion where the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin is provided in the wig front portion being cut and removed.

FIG. 23 is a view to explain another integrating process of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin and a net.

FIG. 24 is a diagrammatical view to show the net corresponding to the portion where the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin is provided in the wig front portion being cut and removed.

FIG. 25 is a side view of FIG. 24, and a diagrammatical view to show the net corresponding to the portion where the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin is provided in the wig front portion being cut and removed.

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view diagrammatically illustrating the other makeup of the artificial skin in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a diagrammatical view from the side of the manufactured wig.

FIG. 28 is a diagrammatical view from the reverse side of the manufactured wig.

FIG. 29 is a diagrammatical view from the side of the wig manufactured with the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin overlapped and integrated on the net.

EXPLANATION OF MARKS AND SYMBOLS

• • 1: Wig
  • 1a, 1b: Wig base
  • 10: Ultra-thin artificial skin
  • 11: Ultra-thin artificial skin material
  • 12: Hair
  • 12A: Stitch portion
  • 15: Deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material
  • 15B: Concave portion
  • 15C: Convex portion
  • 15D: Concave and convex portion
  • 16: Deglossing agent
  • 20: Net
  • 30: Adhesive layer
  • 40: Peelable sheet
  • 50: Urethane solution for hair fixing
  • 51, 51a, 51b, 51a′, 51b′: Top
  • 52: Valley
  • 61: Plaster pattern
  • 62: Metal part for fixing
  • 73: Connecting portion
  • 74, 75, 76: Masking tape
  • D: Hair-dividing portion

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the figures.

FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) are the plan views illustrating a wig 1 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. The wig bases la and lb of the wig 1 comprise two parts, namely, a front portion corresponding to a wig wearer's forehead and a rear portion extending from said front portion to the top and the back head portions, an ultra-thin artificial skin 10 being provided to the front portion, a net pattern 20 being provided to the rear portion, and they are mutually combined and integrated in a connecting portion 73.

Here, the wig base 1a of FIG. 1(A) is provided with an ultra-thin artificial skin 10 not only on the region corresponding to the wearer's forehead but also at the position corresponding to the hair-dividing portion D so as to accommodate the particular style of combing chosen upon hair attaching. On the other hand, the wig base 1b of FIG. 1(B) is provided with an ultra-thin artificial skin 10 only in the region corresponding to the wearer's forehead, assuming the hair style to be the so-called all back style.

The ultra-thin artificial skin 10, in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, is firmly attached to the wig wearer's forehead, and formed curving, for example, in the horizontal direction so as to fit the shape of the wig wearer's forehead. The net pattern 20 is also formed to the convex curving so as to fit the shape of the wig wearer's head. The front edge of the artificial skin 10 is firmly attached on the wig wearer's forehead to the adjusted position corresponding to the imaginary hairline presumably present above said forehead. An adhesive layer 30 (Refer to FIG. 2.) is provided on the whole reverse side of the artificial skin 10 or at least a part of the end region including the front edge. As described later, the stitch portion of hair is bonded and fixed unpeelably to the artificial skin 10, but the adhesive layer 30 is provided by pressure bonding so as to be repeatedly attached to and peeled from the scalp. The net pattern 20 of the rear portion is formed in the dense lattice-like shape with the synthetic fiber such as polyamide and polyester, or in such a large network that the wearer's own hair can be pulled out through it, and is constituted as a cap member with the surface swelling in the shallow dish shape. The front and the rear portions are integrated with the connecting portion 73 bonded or sewn with the linearly overlapped rear edge of the artificial skin 10 of the front portion and the front edge of the net pattern 20 of the rear portion, and formed, as a whole, so as to have a shape similar as closely as possible to the wearer's head shape.

FIG. 2(A) illustrates the reverse side of a wig base 1b of FIG. 1(B). Along the front edge of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10 of the front portion, an adhesive layer for a wig 30 (hereinafter, to be properly called an adhesive layer) as a single layer is coated linearly to the predetermined width. Here, as shown in FIG. 2(B), a plurality of adhesive layers 30 may be coated spot-like at the predetermined intervals along the front edge outline of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10. Otherwise, the adhesive layer 30 may be coated over the whole reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10. Here in FIGS. 1 and 2, numerous hair is attached to the surface side of the wig bases 1a and 1b, illustration of the attached hair is omitted.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view diagrammatically illustrating the constitution of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. The ultra-thin artificial skin 10 constituting the front portion of the wig base has an approximately arc-shaped outline extending in the predetermined width to the front edge provided to the position corresponding to the imaginary hairline presumably present on the wig wearer's forehead and to the back side of the head, and is constituted with a ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, the hair 12 planted to said ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and the adhesive layer 30.

The ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is formed extremely thin due to the use of a soft synthetic resin, for example, an urethane resin, and its thickness is designed as, for example, 0.08 mm to 0.12 mm. Further, the wig bases 1a and 1b of FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) have the front edge of the front portion formed wave-shaped, though its details will be explained later.

The hair 12 attached to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 is either artificial or natural hair. As shown in FIG. 3, the hair 12 is attached V- or U-shaped by penetrating and attaching from the surface side to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and again pulling to the surface side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. The hair portion penetrates to and is exposed on the reverse side of said ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and is to be called a stitch portion 12A. Further, such a method of attaching is generally called V-attaching.

In the embodiment of the present invention, explanation is next made of the adhesive layer 30 coated on the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. The adhesive layer 30 consists of a single layer. The adhesive layer for a wig 30 consisting of a single layer has a novel structure having a property that one side is bonded unpeelably to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10, while the other side can be pressure-bonded repeelably to the wig-wearer's scalp. One side of the adhesive layer 30 has a hair-fixing function to fix the stitch portion 12A of the hair penetrated and attached to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and is bonded unpeelably to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. The adhesive layer 30 may be formed over the whole reverse side of the artificial skin material 11, or linearly or spot-like in a part of the end portion including the front edge of the reverse side of the artificial skin material 11.

The front portion of the wig base in accordance with the present invention is, as mentioned above, constituted with a two layer structure with the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 and the adhesive layer 30 consisting of a single layer for the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11.

Explanation is made of the adhesive layer 30 more concretely. One side of the adhesive layer 30 is bonded by chemical bonding to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 by a gelation reaction of an adhesive solution coated on the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. Therefore, the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 is bound between the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 and the adhesive layer 30 when the adhesive layer 30 is bonded to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and is fixed at the same time to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11.

On the other hand, the side of the adhesive layer 30 in contact with the scalp is capable of repeated repeelable bonding, that is, repeelable pressure-bonding to the scalp. The repeelable function of the adhesive layer 30 to the scalp is realized after the gelation reaction of the adhesive. Therefore, the adhesive layer 30, after the completion of the gelation reaction, can be bonded to the head by applying a slight force at room temperature for short time. That is, it has the property of a pressure-bondable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (the so-called tackifying layer). Further, the adhesive layer 30, after the completion of the gelation reaction, can be repeatedly bonded to the head by wiping its surface with a trace amount of water or organic solvents. In the present invention, this repeated bondability is called a repeelable function or merely a peelable function. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, such peelable sheet 40 as a vinyl chloride sheet may preferably provided which can be easily peeled by the wearer's hand to the surface of the adhesive layer 30 to be bonded to the scalp.

Explanation is next made of the material of the adhesive layer for a wig 30 of the present invention.

The adhesives for a wig used to form the adhesive layer 30 can be roughly classified as urethane resins, acrylic resins, and rubbers.

The adhesives of urethane resins have good adhesivity, as described later, enabling a stitch portion 12A of hair 12 to be fixed to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and the property capable of firmly bonding unpeelably the adhesive layer 30 to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. Their repeelable property for the case of bonding to the head is good, and has low skin irritation. Therefore, the adhesive of urethane resins can be properly used as an adhesive for forming the adhesive layer 30 of the present invention.

On the other hand, the adhesive of acrylic resins excels in tackiness, but has weak repeelable property and strong skin irritation in some cases. Rubber resins excel in initial tackiness, but suffers from a marked deterioration in repeelable property as time elapses.

Further, if said adhesive layer for a wig 30 is formed with the adhesive of acrylic resins and rubber, it is not suitable for use because it can not follow the movement of skin when bonded to a scalp and is easily peeled by deterioration of adhesivity to the head skin, adhesivity is weak to fix the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 to wig bases 1a and 1b, and adhesivity is weak between the adhesive layer 30 and wig bases 1a and 1b readily causing peeling, all due to the hardness of the resins themselves.

Explanation is next made in detail of the case to form the adhesive layer 30 using an adhesive of urethane resins.

As an adhesive of urethane resins, the adhesive of a two liquid mixture type consisting of a main and a solidifying agent can be properly used. The main agent may be a polyol with an urethane resin as a main component and the solidifying agent may be a polyisothyanate as a main component. Those forming a gel after mixing these two liquids, gelation reacting, and completion of the gelation reaction are suitable. Said gelation can be accelerated by heating. Thereby, not only physical bonding such as surface tension but also chemical bonding is applied during the gelation by the function of isothyanate contained in the solidifying agent. As a result, adhesion between the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 and the adhesive layer 30 and the fixing force of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 and the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 attached thereto are markedly improved, and the fixing force at the same level as the conventional hair-fixing process with an adhesive can be obtained. Here, the fixing force is defined for the adhesive layer 30 of the present invention as the adhesivity of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 and the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 attached thereto, in order to distinguish it from the adhesivity of ordinary thermally activated adhesives.

Further, since the adhesive of the two liquid mixture type urethane resins forms an adhesive layer of gel structure after reaction, that is, a tackifying layer, it shows an excellent reaction that follows the movement of the head upon wearing the ultra-thin artificial skin 10 on a forehead portion, realizing sufficient wig adhesion without deteriorating close adhesiveness to the scalp.

Explanation is next made of the method to give fixing force of the stitch portion 12A of the attached hair 12 to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. Said method can be performed by mixing the adhesive consisting of monomers of two liquid mixing type urethane resins, coating and drying the adhesive containing a small amount of the organic solvent for the material of the deglossed wig bases 1a and 1b added into said two liquids to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. As such organic solvents, dimethyl formamide (DMF), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and others can be used when the material of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 is an urethane elastomer.

The fixing force of the adhesive layer 30 to the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 and its tackiness to the head can be adjusted by alteration of the mixing ratio of the main and the solidifying agents of the adhesive of the two liquid mixing type urethane resins; adjustment of the coating viscosity; and adjustment of the settling time after two liquid mixing till coating on to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 with the hair 12 attached thereto.

Explanation is next made of a modified version of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5.

In the front portion of the wig base, an ultra-thin artificial skin 10A has a double layer structure comprising a deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the adhesive layer 30 as a single layer provided to its reverse side, the adhesive layer 30 as a single layer is bonded unpeelably to the predetermined width or a part of the end region including the front edge of the reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, having a fixing function of the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 and a repeelable function from the scalp.

As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the difference of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10A from the above-mentioned ultra-thin artificial skin 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 above is that fine concave and convex portions 15D are formed on the surface of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 for deglossing, and a deglossing agent is incorporated. Said fine concave and convex portions 15D consist of a concave portion 15B and a convex portion 15C. Also in case of the illustration, the deglossing agent 16 is incorporated from the surface side to the predetermined region 15A, but the deglossing agent 16 may be incorporated in arbitrary regions of the wig base. Other structures are the same as for the above-mentioned ultra-thin artificial skin 10.

In case to make thinner the wig bases 1a and 1b in order to make lighter in weight, it is preferable to incorporate the deglossing agent 16 as shallow as possible on the surface side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, taking into consideration the deglossing effect and the capability to follow the movement of skin when bonded to a head. As one example, in case to make the thickness of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 about 0.08 mm to 0.12 mm, it is preferable to incorporate the deglossing agent 16 to a depth of about 0.03 to 0.035 mm from the surface side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15. If shallower than 0.03 mm, then the deglossing effect is not sufficient, and if thicker than 0.035 mm, then it is not preferable because the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 hardens, and can no longer follow the movement of the scalp.

As the deglossing agents 16, various inorganic particles can be used. As the materials of said inorganic particles, any of silica, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, zeolite, and glass can be used. Especially, powdery silica with a particle diameter of 1 to 10 μm is preferred. In this case, powdery silica is preferably 5 to 25% in weight of a thermoplastic elastomer dissolved in an organic solvent suited to coating. If powdery silica, for example, is used as the deglossing agent 16, then since the color of the wearer's scalp is visible through it, the borderline of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the head is not easily visible, resulting in improved concealment of the wig.

The fine concave and convex portion 15D can be formed, as described below, by copying using such fine meshes as net-like textile or the like. By said copying, fine concavity and convexity are formed in the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15. These concave and convex portions provide a shape similar to real skin.

The thickness of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is preferably about 0.08 to 0.12 mm. If the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is thinner than 0.08 mm, then the shape stability of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 deteriorates, and the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 does not fit the wearer's head shape while being worn. If the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is thicker than 0.12 mm, then a bump occurs at the position of the borderline of the scalp and the wig base while being worn, the cross section of the wig base is apparent due to thickness. The fact that a wig is being worn becomes easily visible, and further, the wig base can not follow the movement of the scalp.

Thus, by the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 of the present invention, a combined deglossing effect is attained by the diffuse reflection from the deglossing agent 16 and the fine concave and convex portion 15D. Since powdery silica is transparent, and the color of the wearer's head is visible through it, the borderline of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10A of the forehead portion and the head is not easily visible, resulting in improved concealment of the wig.

Further, the incorporation of inorganics only caused heretofore hardening of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, or even when the desired gloss is obtained, the color of the deglossed wig bases 1a and 1b widely changed due to the action of the incorporated inorganics, thereby making an approximation of the color of the wearer's head color was difficult. However, such defects can be solved with the structure of the present invention.

According to the above-mentioned modified version, a repeelable deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin 10A on the forehead portion can be realized by using the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 which can easily follow the movement of the scalp, and is extremely high in the deglossing effect.

Explanation is next made of the wave shape formed in the front edge of the forehead portion of the wig.

In order to further enhance the camouflaging effect of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 provided to the front portion, wave-shaped notches are made, as shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B), at least in a part of the front edge of the front portion.

The wave shape of the front edge is formed by cutting off the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15. That is, upon cutting off, the front edge of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is processed. FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of the shape processing conducted to the front edge of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. As for the wave shape in the drawing, the top of the convex portion with regard to the longitudinal direction is described as a top 51, and the bottom portion of the valley between the hills at both sides is described as a valley 52.

Here, FIGS. 7 to 12 are the schematic drawings for comparison with the wave shape shown in FIG. 6. The reason behind making the notches wave shaped is that, if the shape of the front edge of the front portion is made polygonal such as triangular and rectangular pattern in FIGS. 7 and 8, the protruding portion 53 of the front edge of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is everted when the wig is worn on the head, possibly resulting in the exposure of the wig. Therefore, the shape of the notches is preferably a wave shape with a round tip portion.

As for the size of the wave shape, the length of the vertical direction from the top 51 to the valley 52 of FIG. 6, that is, the depth A is preferably 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm. If the depth A is longer than 3.0 mm as shown in FIG. 9, the protruded portion including the top 51 is everted upon wearing, resulting in possible exposure. If also the depth A is shorter than 1.0 mm as shown in FIG. 10, there is almost no difference in the wave-shaped front edge from the front edge treated linearly, resulting in insufficient camouflaging effect.

The length B of the longitudinal direction from the top 51a to the neighboring top 51b in FIG. 6 is preferably designed as 7.0 mm to 30.0 mm. If the length B of the wave shape in the longitudinal direction is longer than 30.0 mm, there is no difference from that which has no notch and is treated linearly, as shown in FIG. 11, resulting in no camouflaging effect. Also, if the length B of the wave shape in the longitudinal direction is shorter than 7.0 mm, the shape of the front edge becomes saw tooth-like as shown in FIG. 12, and forms the protruding shape of the hill type portion including the top 51, resulting in possible everting upon wearing.

Here, the wave shape formed in the front edge of the artificial skin may not be all identical, and specific parts may differ in depth and pitch. For example, in FIG. 13, the length B1 in the longitudinal direction from the top 51a to its neighboring top 51b in the range from the borderline C1 to C2 of the front portion and the length B2 in the longitudinal direction from the top 51a′ of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 to the top 51b′ outside of said range are of different lengths. As for the shape of the notches given to the front edge of the front portion, if the wave shape with the size within the above-mentioned range is used, then it is possible to form a different wave shape at the predetermined position of the front edge of the front portion.

As for the portion where wave shape notches are made, wave shape notches are made in the front edge of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 and 15 provided on the hairline of the front portion in Example, but it is also possible to make notches in the peripheries other than the front portion such as the side or the back head portion to provide a camouflaging effect. For example, if wave shapes are formed in the side or the back head portion of the net 20 of the wig base shown in FIG. 14, the similar camouflaging effect can be obtained.

Explanation is next made of a method of manufacturing the wig in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

First of all, explanation is made of a method of manufacturing an ultra-thin artificial skin material 11.

As a first step, a thermoplastic elastomer pellets made of soft synthetic resin is dissolved into an organic solvent, and this solution (hereinafter to be called a thermoplastic elastomer solution) is coated on the male pattern (for example, a plaster pattern or others) of the wig wearer's head shape prepared in advance, or the male pattern most similar to the wearer's head shape selected from several typical head shape. An ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 similar to the head can be obtained by drying the male pattern and forming. Various thermoplastic elastomers are applicable, but, for example, the urethane elastomer is preferred. Antifungal agent or else may be incorporated whenever necessary. Thus, an ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 can be manufactured.

Explanation is next made of deglossing treatment on the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11.

As a second step, the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 formed in the first step is deglossed in the following step to give natural gloss on the wig surface.

Concretely, the solution with inorganic particles as the deglossing agent 16 added into the thermoplastic elastomer solution used for manufacturing the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 is prepared, and said solution is coated on to the surface of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 and dried. If the thickness of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 is about 0.08 to 0.12 mm, the depth of the region 15A containing the deglossing agent 16 after said solution is coated and dried is preferably about 0.03 to 0.035 mm. The viscosity of the thermoplastic elastomer to be coated may be adjusted for it. Various inorganic particles are applicable, but powdery silica of the particle diameter 1 to 10 μm is preferred, and its amount to be added is preferably 5 to 25% in weight of the thermoplastic elastomer dissolved in the solution to be coated. Also whenever necessary, an ultraviolet light absorber and an antioxidant for yellowing prevention may be added together with the deglossing agent 16.

As a third step, a fine mesh-like net is covered on the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 with the deglossing agent 16 incorporated in the surface in the second step, the solvent of the ultra-thin artificial skin material is coated, the fine mesh-like net is removed after drying, and fine concave and convex portion 15D is formed with fine meshes on the surface of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. Any material insoluble to the solvent to be coated on to said ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 may be used as the fine mesh-like net used in this step. For example, if the wig base 1a and 1b is formed with an urethane resin, nylon may be used. The fine mesh-like net is preferably knitted with thread of 0.03 to 0.1 mm diameter, and has a size of about 30 to 100 meshes (strand/inch).

The ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 formed in the first step is deglossed in said second and third steps, thereby a deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 having natural gloss can be formed. (See FIG. 4.) The deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is deglossed in combined treatment by forming the deglossing agent-incorporated region 15A where inorganic particles are added and a fine concave and convex portion 15D.

Next as a fourth step, a net 20 made of a synthetic resin is prepared, and a net pattern 20 is obtained by forming the pattern fitting to the wearer's head shape. Though the details will be described later, it is formed from a flat net 20 made of a synthetic resin by resin processing using a pattern fitting to the wearer's head shape. Here, needless to mention that the forming step of the net pattern 20 may be the first step, and the artificial skin material may be prepared at the second step and thereafter.

Next as a fifth step, the net pattern 20 having a pattern fitting in advance to the wearer's head shape is overlapped on to the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 formed as described above, the ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20 are connected and integrated at the connecting portion 73 by sewing or bonding at the predetermined position by the predetermined width to prepare wig bases 1a and 1b. The shape and size of the prepared wig base have preferably excellent fit feeling if formed as similarly as possible to the wearer's head shape.

Next as a sixth step, human or artificial hair to be the hair 12 is attached to the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20 made of a synthetic resin by the respective predetermined methods.

In a seventh step, the adhesive layer 30 is formed to the reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 where the hair 12 is attached. The adhesive layer 30 can be formed by coating and drying the adhesive having both a function to fix the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 on the reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 to the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and a function to bond to the head. As a method of coating of the adhesive, the methods using spray or a brush can be used.

Explanation is made here of the concrete forming step of the adhesive layer for a wig 30.

First of all, the wig base 1a or 1b where the hair 12 is attached is turned inside out, and fixed on to the male pattern of the wig wearer's head shape. Said male pattern of the head shape is formed from, for example, a thermosetting epoxy resin. An adhesive monomer for a wig and an organic solvent are next mixed and stirred. As said adhesive monomer for a wig, two types can be used one of which has isothyanate as a main component and the other having polyol as a main component. Further, whenever necessary, the solvent of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 may be added.

The reaction is made proceeding by settling this solution at room temperature for the predetermined time to prepare the adhesive solution for a wig. Here, settling for the predetermined time is conducted for the bridging reaction to proceed to a certain extent between the molecules in said mixed and stirred solution. Next, said adhesive solution settled for the predetermined time is coated with a brush to the desired thickness to the reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, dried for the predetermined time at the heating temperature higher than room temperature, and cooled to room temperature after drying, resulting in the formation of the adhesive layer 30. In order to obtain the adhesive layer 30 of the desired thickness, coating of said adhesive solution and drying by heating may be repeated.

Here, the adhesivity between the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the adhesive layer 30 and the adhesivity between the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 attached thereto are realized in the gelling process by drying at the temperature higher than room temperature for the predetermined time.

By the above-mentioned seventh step, the adhesive layer for a wig 30 of the present invention is formed, and the ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 of the front portion can be manufactured. Further, on the adhesive layer for a wig 30, a peelable sheet 40 may be provided for protection before the wig is worn.

Next, as an eighth step, the unnecessary protruding portions of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net 20 are cut and removed. Upon this removal, the front edge of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is processed to a wave shape. By said steps, a wig 1 has been completed.

Here, it is not necessary to proceed with the steps in said order, namely, the sixth step to attach hair to said wig base, the seventh step to form the adhesive layer 30 on the reverse side of artificial skin, and the eighth step to cut and remove the unnecessary protruding portions of the artificial skin and the net pattern, and it is obvious that any step may come first. For example, the eighth cut and remove step may come right after the fifth connecting portion forming step. Otherwise, the hair attaching or the adhesive layer forming steps may come last.

Thus, the wig 1 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is characterized to use the adhesive layer 30 consisting of a single layer. Therefore, the adhesive layer 30 consisting of a single layer can realize the functions of the first adhesive layer having a fixing function of a stitch portion of hair and the second adhesive layer having a bonding function to a head in the conventional wig with the adhesive layers of a double layer structure. Thereby, the front portion can be constituted in a simple structure of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, 15, and the adhesive layer 30 consisting of a single layer.

The thickness of the adhesive layer 30 consisting of a single layer may be that capable of fixing the stitch portion 12A of hair 12, and it may be about 0.05 mm, for example, if the diameter of the attached hair 12 is 0.08 to 0.09 mm, resulting in light weight of the front portion.

The adhesive layer 30 to be bonded to a scalp is repeelable, and can be used repeatedly with the recovered tackiness by only washing the adhesive layer 30 with water or organic solvents. Therefore, the wearer's cost is reduced.

EXAMPLE

Explanation is made of the example of the method of manufacturing the wig in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

As a first step, the solution in which an urethane elastomer was dissolved in DMF and MEK and an antifungal agent was incorporated was coated on to a plaster pattern of a wig wearer's head shape prepared in advance, and dried at heating temperature 60° C. for one hour. Further on said plaster pattern, the urethane elastomer solution of the concentration lower than the previous urethane elastomer solution was coated, dried for 30 minutes at heating temperature 60° C. to form the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 of about 0.07 mm thickness.

As a second step, into the solution in which an urethane elastomer was dissolved in DMF and MEK and an antifungal agent was incorporated, powdery silica (average particle diameter 3.1 μm to 4.1 μm) as a deglossing agent 6, an ultraviolet absorber, and an antioxidant were further incorporated to prepare a deglossing solution. The weight of silica was about 8% of the weight of the urethane elastomer. Said deglossing solution was coated to the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and dried at heating temperature 60° C. for 2 to 4 hours.

As a third step, a net for commercially available stockings made of nylon as a fine mesh net was covered on to the side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 on the surface of which the deglossing agent 16 was incorporated in the above-mentioned second step, the mixture of MEK and DMF as the solvent for the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 in the predetermined ratio was coated, and dried at 100° C. for 4 hours. The net for stockings was removed after drying, and a fine concave and convex portion 21D was formed on the surface of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. The thread diameter of the net for stockings was 0.05 mm, and the mesh was about 50 meshes (strand/inch).

Thus, the region 15A containing the deglossing agent 16 and the concave and convex portion 15D were formed on the surface of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11 made of an urethane resin, and the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 was prepared. Thereby, the whole thickness of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 was about 0.09 to 0.11 mm with the thickness of the region 15A containing the deglossing agent 16 increased by about 0.03 to 0.035 mm.

As a fourth step, in order to make the net member before forming the net pattern 20 to the wearer's head shape, the net member was covered on the plaster pattern 61 of the head shape and processed with a resin. FIG. 15 is a side view of the fixed state using a fixing needle 62 after the net member was covered on the plaster pattern 61 of the head shape.

The processing with a resin was conducted, as in FIG. 15, by coating a thermosetting urethane resin solution on to said net member after the net member made of nylon was covered and fixed on the prepared plaster pattern 61 of the wig wearer's head shape, and by drying at the heating temperature 100° C. for 8 hours to obtain a net pattern 20.

Next was ultrasonic processing conducted to the net pattern 20 peeled from the plaster pattern 61. The ultrasonic processing is the process to melt-bond the crossing portions of the threads constituting the net pattern 20 with ultrasonic wave and pressure to fix the crossing portions. If the shape of the formed net pattern 20 was distorted upon the ultrasonic processing, a trouble would be caused in the fifth step mentioned below. Thus, the net pattern 20 processed by ultrasonic wave on the plaster pattern 61 was covered and fixed according to the positions of a forehead, a back head, and both side heads, a thermosetting urethane resin solution was coated thereover, and dried at the heating temperature 100° C. for 4 hours.

In the present example, since a nylon net was used as the net member, ultrasonic processing and reshaping were conducted after the resin processing with the thermosetting urethane resin solution. This is because, since the water absorbance of nylon is high, the size stability is poor, and the shape formed to the head shape tends to deform, and the object is to prevent it. In case of nets other than nylon, since the water absorbance is high and the size stability is good, only the resin processing with the thermosetting urethane resin solution may well do.

Here, the thread diameter of the net member used for shaping was 220D, and the mesh was about 25 meshes (strand/inch). The net member to use for shaping may be of any material that can be shaped to the head shape, and the values of the thread diameter and meshes can be properly changed.

As a fifth step, the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 prepared in said first to third steps and the shaped net pattern 20 prepared in the fourth step were overlapped with the former beneath and the latter above. FIG. 16 is a side view illustrating the overlapped state of the net pattern 20 prepared in the fourth step on the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 set on the plaster pattern 61 in said first to third steps. The overlapped deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20 were bonded and integrated at the predetermined position with the predetermined width.

Explanation is made here of the integrating treatment of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20.

First of all, as shown in FIG. 17, a masking tape 74 of 3 mm width was bonded along the borderline as the connecting portion 73 of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 at its front side. Next, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 18, the net pattern 20 was overlapped on the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, and set at the predetermined position, and, as shown in FIG. 19, masking tapes 75 and 76 were bonded on the net pattern 20 so as to bind the connecting portion 73 along the borderline of the connecting portion 73. FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A′ of FIG. 19. The reason why the masking tape 74 was bonded in advance along the borderline of the forehead portion is to prevent the integrating solvent from adhering to the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the fine appearance of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 from deteriorating.

In order to integrate the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20, the integrating solution prepared by dissolving the urethane elastomer into DMF and MEK and by incorporating an antifungal agent was coated to the connecting portion 73, and dried at the heating temperature 60° C. for 30 minutes. Next, the deglossing solution which was the solution with the urethane elastomer dissolved into DMF and MEK and the incorporated antifungal agent, and further with powdery silica (average particle diameter 3.1 μm to 4.1 μm) as a deglossing agent 16, an ultraviolet absorber, and an antioxidant incorporated therein was coated at the position where the integrating solution was coated, and dried at the heating temperature 60° C. for 2 hours. The weight of silica was about 21% of the urethane elastomer weight. After integration, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the unnecessary net member 20a (See FIG. 19.) located in the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 was cut and removed.

The connecting portion 73 between the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net member 20 can be formed by sewing. First of all, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 23, the net pattern 20 is overlapped on the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and set to the predetermined position. Next, tentative sewing is conducted by hand with nylon filament thread along the connecting portion 73′ shown in FIG. 23, and the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20 are removed from the plaster pattern 61.

The final sewing is conducted by a sewing machine using nylon filament thread along the tentatively sewn connecting portion 73′. After the final sewing, the nylon filament thread left over in the portion initially tentatively sewn is pulled and removed.

Here, the nylon filament thread of the thread diameter 50 dx was used. As the nylon filament thread for the final sewing by a sewing machine, an unexposable color is preferably selected depending upon the color of the net pattern 20, and the thread in which gloss is not caused is preferably used in order to prevent the exposure of the connecting portion. Since there is a process to remove the nylon filament thread used for tentative sewing after the sewing by a sewing machine, it is preferable to use the thread with the color which can distinguish the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20. After integration, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, the unnecessary net part 20a (See FIG. 23.) located in the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is cut and removed.

As a sixth step, the wig base prepared in the first to the fifth steps was fixed on the male pattern of the wig wearer's head shape, one strand or several strands of artificial hair 12 made of nylon were bent altogether, and attached by V-planting to the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, and by knotting the hair 12 and the thread constituting the net pattern 20. The V-planting is to attach in V-letter or U-letter shape, as is shown in FIG. 3, by penetrating and attaching the hair 12 from the surface side to the reverse side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11, and pulling again to the surface side of the ultra-thin artificial skin material 11. As a method to attach hair to the net pattern 20 and the connecting portion 73, cow hitch and clove hitch as the known knotting methods for string or others are used.

As a seventh step, the adhesive layer 30 is formed on the reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 with the hair 12 attached thereto. More concretely, the wig base 1a or 1b with the hair attached thereto is reversed, and set to the male pattern of the wig wearer's head shape.

In case to form the adhesive layer 30 to the predetermined width α of the front edge of artificial skin or to a part of the front edge β, as shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), the urethane solution for hair fixing to fix the stitch portion 12A of the hair attached to the portion where the adhesive layer 30 was not formed to the reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 was coated by the predetermined times, and dried at the heating temperature 60° C. for the predetermined time. Thereafter, the adhesive layer 30 was formed to the predetermined width α of the front edge of artificial skin or to a part of the front edge β. The width to form the adhesive layer 30 may be 1.0 cm or more. The cross section of the ultra-thin artificial skin 10B in such a case is as is shown in FIG. 26. The stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 is fixed with the urethane solution 50 to the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, and the adhesive layer 30 is coated on said urethane solution 50.

In case to form the adhesive layer 30 on the whole reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the adhesive layer 30 is formed without coating the urethane solution for hair fixing 50. The reason for not coating the urethane solution for hair fixing 50 is that the adhesive layer 30 has the function to fix the stitch portion 12A of hair, and since all the stitch portion 12A of the hair attached to the whole reverse side of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is fixed by forming the adhesive layer 30.

As the adhesive to form the adhesive layer 30, the mixture of a two liquid mixture type urethane resin adhesive monomer consisting of a main and a solidifying agents and DMF as the solvent for the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 was used. Polyol with an urethane resin as a main component was used as the main agent and a polyisothyanate was a main component as the solidifying agent. The main and the solidifying agents of said two liquid mixture type urethane resin adhesive and DMF as the solvent were mixed and stirred. This solution was settled for about 1 to 2 hours at room temperature for the reaction to proceed. The proper viscosity of the solution after settling was about 2000 to 3000 cps. Said solution of the adhesive was coated with a brush to the reverse side of the deglossed wig bases 1a and 1b, dried at 80° C. for 10 to 15 hours, and cooled to room temperature after drying. Thus, the adhesive layer 30 of about 0.05 to 0.2 mm was formed.

As a eighth step, the unnecessary part of the net pattern 20 is cut and removed. The protruding part of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is also cut and removed along the periphery 72 forming the outline of the wig. Upon cut and removing, the front edge of the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is shaped. As for the size of the shape, the length A in the vertical direction to the longitudinal direction from the top 51 to the neighboring valley 52 of FIG. 6 was about 2.0 mm, the length B in the longitudinal direction from the top 51a to the other neighboring top 51b was about 10.0 mm to form a wave shape.

FIGS. 27 and 28 are schematic views of the wig 1 manufactured by the above-mentioned steps. FIG. 27 is a schematic view from the side of the manufactured wig 1, and FIG. 28 is a schematic view from the reverse side of the manufactured wig 1. The direction D is that of the forehead portion of the wig, and the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 is provided to the front portion, the net pattern 20 is provided to the rear portion, and the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 and the net pattern 20 are connected in the connecting portion 73. Also, the adhesive layer 30 is formed in the front edge of the artificial skin material 15, and is wave-shape processed.

Here in the present example, since the net pattern 20 is overlapped and integrated on the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15, the net pattern 20 is overlapped and integrated on the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 in the connecting portion 73, as shown in FIG. 27, but it is also possible, as shown in FIG. 29, to integrate with the deglossed ultra-thin artificial skin material 15 above and the net pattern 20 below.

The fixing force of the wig bases 1a and 1b and the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 to the adhesive layer 30 of the wig 10 in the above-mentioned example was measured. The adhesivity of the wig bases 1a and 1b to the adhesive layer 30 was about 180 gf/mm², and the adhesivity of the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 to the adhesive layer 30 was about 10 gf/mm².

Also, the adhesivity of the adhesive layer 30 to the wig bases 1a and 1b was measured by a method of peeling by hand, then the adhesive layer 30 was not easily peeled off from the wig bases 1a and 1b, and it turned out to be adhered unpeelably. Further the fixing force of the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 and the wig bases 1a and 1b was measured by a method of pulling off the hair 12 by hand. The adhesivity of the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 to the wig bases 1a and 1b turned out to be weaker than the adhesivity of the wig bases 1a and 1b and the adhesive layer 30, but it has such enough fixing force that the hair 12 does not drop off by brushing.

The tackiness and repeelability of the adhesive layer 30 to the head was also excellent. Bonding again was possible by wiping the adhesive layer 30 with water, and such attaching and detaching were possible continuously over several tens of times. Thus, repeelability of the adhesive layer 30 was confirmed. Therefore, since this wig can be attached and detached everyday or properly as necessary not wearing continuously, it is hygienic as well as practically quite advantageous.

Next, this wig 1 of the present invention was worn by a tester, and the outlook appearance was observed. The light reflection from around the adhesive layer 30 was not observed. Further, when another tester not wearing the wig 1 observed, it turned out that the wig 1 was not recognized as being worn by using the deglossed adhesive layer 30, resulting in good appearance.

The proper embodiment of the present invention was explained, but the present invention is not limited only to the embodiment, but appropriate modification is possible within the range of the present invention.

For example, an urethane gel was explained as the adhesive layer 30 consisting of a single layer, but if having the adhesivity of the wig bases 1a and 1b and the stitch portion 12A of the hair 12 attached thereto and repeelability from a scalp, the adhesive for a wig for its manufacture can be appropriately selected. Also, the deglossing agent may be not only silica but also other deglossing agents. Further, the concrete values explained in said embodiment can be properly modified whenever necessary.

In the present example, the wig base provided with a net of synthetic resin except at the hairline of the periphery of the forehead portion, but, instead of a net, the artificial skin made of a synthetic resin capable of making a pattern of a head shape can be used as a cap member.

Claims

1. A wig, comprising a wig base, and hair attached to the wig base,

the wig base is constituted with a front portion made of an artificial skin of which a front edge is provided to a wig wearer's forehead, and a rear portion connected to the front portion, composed with a cap member having a shape similar to a wig wearer's head shape,

the front portion has an artificial skin material and an adhesive layer,

wherein the adhesive layer has a function to fix a stitch portion of hair to a reverse side of the artificial skin material, and a function of a repeated bonding and peelable pressure-bonding to a scalp, and

said adhesive layer is made of a single layer.

2. The wig according to claim 1, wherein said stitch portion fixing of hair is realized by gelation of said adhesive layer,

a repeated bondability and a peelability of the adhesive layer is realized after completion of gelation reaction of the adhesive layer.

3. The wig according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is made of urethane gel.

4. The wig according to claim 3, wherein the urethane gel made of an urethane resin pressure-sensitive adhesive of a two liquid mixture type comprising a main agent and a solidifying agent, and the main agent being the polyol with urethane resin as a main component, and the solidifying agent with polyisothyanate as a main component.

5. The wig according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the artificial skin is deglossed.

6. The wig according to claim 5, wherein a deglossed surface is formed by mixing a deglossing agent to the artificial skin, and further by forming a fine concave and convex portion on the surface of the artificial skin.

7. The wig according to claim 6, wherein the deglossing agent is composed of inorganic particles.

8. The wig according to claim 6, wherein the fine concave and convex portion is formed by copying with fine meshes.

9. The wig according to claim 1, wherein the front edge of the artificial skin is formed wave-shaped.

10. The wig according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the artificial skin is in a range of 0.08 mm to 0.12 mm.

11. A method of manufacturing a wig comprising:

a first step for preparing an artificial skin to be a front portion by coating and drying a thermoplastic elastomer on a male pattern of a head shape, as well as a net pattern to be a rear portion connected with the artificial skin by making a pattern of a net member similar to a wearer's head shape;

a second step for forming a connecting portion by overlapping the net pattern on upper or lower side of the artificial skin, and sewing or bonding a portion to be a rear edge of the artificial skin and a portion to be a front edge of the net pattern to be connected therewith;

a third step for attaching hair to the artificial skin to be the front portion, the net pattern to be the rear portion and the connecting portion;

a fourth step for forming an adhesive layer on a reverse side of the artificial skin to be the front portion; and

a fifth step for cutting and removing an unnecessary net member at the front portion and an unnecessary artificial skin at the rear portion, respectively.

12. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 11, wherein an order of working steps may be arbitrarily changed for the third hair attaching step, the fourth adhesive layer forming step, and the fifth step of cutting and removing the unnecessary parts.

13. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the fourth step is mixing and stirring a solution containing a main agent, a solidifying agent, and an organic solvent, leaving for a predetermined time at room temperature to make a reaction proceed, coating and heating the solution to a reverse side of the artificial skin to bond it to the reverse side of the artificial skin, and cooling after heating to form the adhesive layer on the reverse side of said artificial skin.

14. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 11, wherein a surface of the artificial skin is deglossed.

15. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 14, wherein the deglossing is conducted by mixing a deglossing agent to the artificial skin, and further forming a fine concave and convex portion on the surface of the artificial skin.

16. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 15, wherein the deglossing agent is composed of inorganic particles.

17. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 15, wherein the fine concave and convex portion is formed by copying with fine meshes.

18. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 11, wherein a front edge of the artificial skin is formed wave-shaped.

19. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 11, wherein a thickness of the artificial skin is in a range of 0.08 mm to 0.12 mm.

20. The method of manufacturing a wig according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said fourth step is applying and gelling a mixed solution of polyol and polyisocyanate to the reverse side of said artificial skin to form said adhesive layer on the reverse side of said artificial skin.

21. The wig according to claim 1, wherein said stitch portion of hair is adhered and fixed unpeelably on the reverse side of the artificial skin material.